Developing Resources to Assist Families as Their Infants With Disabilities Transition Into Preschool
Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
June S. Delano
Committee Member
Joan Whitesell
Keywords
disabilities, early childhood education, early intervention, family support, in-service training, parent participation, parent support, policies, preschool education, social workers, special education, transition handbook, transitional programs, transition planning
Abstract
There is a lack of adequate information and support given to families during the transitioning of their children from infant to preschool programs. During this transition period, information and assistance are given to families on an inconsistent basis This practicum was designed to provide assistance to famil.es involved in the transition process.
Meetings and questionnaires were used as a means of assessing parent's needs. Based on responses, an Inservice was held in which information requested by parents was provided. A new policy was developed for use by social workers: this policy was designed to ensure that families received consistent, ongoing support and information during the transition process. A Transition Handbook was developed and written for parents so that they had access to information and timelines needed for the transitioning of their children.
Based on questionnaires completed after attending an Inservice on the transition process, parents indicated that they had gained an average, to a great deal of information regarding the process. With the development of a new policy, the social work staff began to offering more consistent support to families. By sharing parental input with the program staff, they gained a increased awareness of the needs of parents during the transition period. Parents were given written materials, describing the steps involved in enrolling their children in preschool programs, including timelines explaining when these steps should be negotiated.